You're Home Late
by Aliemah
Summary: One-shot from Kaidan's POV. Post-War AU. Kaidan comes home after a few weeks away on a Spectre mission.


_Author's Note: One-shot that started out fluffy and... well, I like the turn it took. I hope you do, too._

* * *

Kaidan didn't like coming home this late. For one, he'd wanted to be home at the normal time so that he could have a real meal for the first time in months, and even more than that, he'd wanted to be able to relax. But, he was home, and at least he would be home for a few weeks at all. His bags fell by the front door with a thud, and he shut the door behind him. The only light that was on was coming from the kitchen, and so he followed it.

There was a plate with a sandwich on it, that looked like it had been freshly made. He smiled and grabbed the plate, turning off the light in the kitchen and moving to sit in the living room in the dark to eat. It wasn't anything special, but it did satisfy his hunger for the time being. He went back to set the plate on the counter, before walking quietly down the hall to the bedroom.

He couldn't help the sigh that got past his lips once he cracked the door open. She was tangled up in the sheets, the room was too hot for her to be asleep, and she was clutching to _his_ pillows on _his_ side of the bed. Not to mention it looked like she had absolutely no clothes on. He shut the bedroom door behind him as quietly as he could, and moved to sit on the edge of the bed. Kaidan's hand reached out to brush some of her wavy black hair from her face, brushing his thumb over her cheek with a smile. Her eyelids fluttered before they opened. She brought her head up for a moment, before it collapsed back on the pillow, with a smile on her face.

"You're home late." she muttered.

"You're in my spot." he smiled as he leaned down to kiss her tenderly, glad she managed to prop herself up to meet him halfway. He pressed his forehead against hers for a moment, and then watched as she laid back down, leaving just enough space for him.

"Take of your uniform and come here." she smiled, eyes closing again. He didn't hesitate to unbutton his jacket, throwing it to the floor, each subsequent piece of clothing following it until he was down to his boxers. He laid back on the bed and was satisfied when she pulled herself against him, tossing the thin sheet over both of them as she rested her head on his chest. He kissed the top of her head, and held her close, listening to her sigh as she fell back asleep. He shut his eyes and was asleep as well in no time.

* * *

She thought she'd been dreaming that he had come home last night. For one, she woke up alone, still clutching his pillow how she remembered falling asleep with it. The house was quiet, and she slowly lifted her head to check the time. It was just after 10 in the morning, and the curtains were still keeping the sunlight out. She propped herself up on her elbows as she yawned, staying in this position for a few minutes before she rolled over to put on a shirt and some form of pants. Her feet touched the carpet, and slowly, she pulled herself up, wincing from the pain in her hip. But once she was up, the pain ebbed away.

Opening the door, she walked out to the kitchen, and saw the empty plate. So, she hadn't been dreaming. But then where had Kaidan gone? The shower wasn't running, he wasn't in the kitchen, the bedroom, the living room- oh. She sighed, and rubed the back of her neck - a habit she'd picked up from her husband. She grabbed a glass of water, drank it, and then headed back down the hall, to the room directly across from the bedroom.

That door was cracked open, barely. She sighed and knocked softly.

"Kai?" the door opened as she knocked, and she saw him sitting on the floor with his back against the wall. The room was empty, but the walls had been painted a different color since he'd been home last. They were a soft pink, now. Stepping in, she was about seven feet from where he was sitting. His gaze moved up and their eyes locked for the longest time, in silence.

After a few minutes she stepped over, the only sound coming from the movement of her clothes as she kneeled in front of him, quietly wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he lowered his head again, sobbing softly. She'd never realized how hard the miscarriage had hit him until the past few weeks. He'd apparently become very reclusive, and had been forced to speak to a therapist at least two times a week. She thought she had been hurt more, but at this point, she was able to accept it and move on, even if here head wasn't being held too high. It still hurt to think about it, but she did know something that he didn't.

"Hey..." she pulled back and put her hand on his cheek, making him look up at her. "It's alright."

"I know." he said quietly, quickly wiping the tears from his face. "I... Know there's nothing that I can do to change it, but it still hurts."

"I saw the doctor the other day, you know." she sat back on her feet, arms falling into her lap. That caught his attention fast. "He said it was probably due to my medication. But... I don't need the medication anymore." She paused, smiling at him when she saw a little bit of hope flash in his eyes.

"So... There's nothing wrong?"

"Not now, no." she leaned forward again and wrapped her arms around him. Her lips met the skin on his cheek. "We can try again."


End file.
